Select Language:
One of the most exciting parts of Hollow Knight: Silksong is battling the bosses. These enemies have special attack patterns you need to learn and get used to. After facing the first few bosses, you’ll find it almost impossible to win on your first try because each fight introduces new attacks.
As you move through different areas, you’ll eventually arrive at the Haunted Bellhart, where you’ll encounter the Widow boss. This fight becomes tougher as you progress, and beating it requires memorizing its attack moves.
Where to Find Widow
Widow is a main boss in Silksong, so a battle with it is guaranteed. Once you leave the Greymoor area for the first time, you’ll reach the Haunted Bellhart, but you won’t be able to do much there initially. Keep heading left until you reach Shellwood.
After passing through Shellwood and defeating the Sister Splinters boss, you’ll unlock the Cling Grip ability. You can use this to re-enter the Bellhart area to the right of the boss. Follow a simple path through dark tunnels until you reach Widow.
Note: While exploring these tunnels, giant monsters move up and down above big drops. They can deal two heart’s worth of damage if they hit you, so avoid them.
Before starting the fight, it’s a good idea to find a nearby bench on the left. This will make it easier to reach the boss with the elevator nearby.
Widow Phase One Guide
You’ll face many bosses before Widow, but this one has multiple phases—marking a shift in attack style. During the first phase, Widow signals a change with a roar before transforming its attack pattern completely.
To win, you need to learn its attack patterns. Here’s what to expect in the first phase:
| Attack | Wind-Up Tells and Attack Details | How to Counter |
|---|---|---|
| Boulder Attack | Widow appears and charges, white lines show where a boulder will fall, bouncing twice | Move out of the boulder’s path, ideally towards the boss, to avoid damage and land hits |
| Slash Attack | Widow leaps in your direction, then turns to slash while moving across the arena | Dash out when it launches, then jump to avoid the slashes |
| Movement Restriction | Widow walks on four legs from one side to the other, with white rays and spikes appearing | Jump over Widow, hit its head, then glide back to where it started |
Be careful of Widow sometimes spawning multiple boulders quickly or roaring to spawn many at once. During these times, it might attack when a boulder is falling, hiding its animation and giving less reaction time. The boss also retreats when not attacking, so strike mostly during its offensive moves.
You can deal a lot of damage during the Boulder attack or by jumping over and hitting it during its Slash Attack. Just watch out for boulders falling on top of you, and if you’re low, land a downward attack on falling boulders.
Widow Phase Two Guide
Once you get the first stun, you might think the fight is over, but Widow will retreat and come back for a second phase. This second stage features similar attacks, but they’re more complex and harder to dodge.
After the initial stun, Widow goes into hiding and then respawns. During this phase, her attacks may look familiar but follow different patterns:
| Attack | Wind-Up Tells and Attack Details | How to Counter |
|---|---|---|
| Buffed Boulder Attack | Widow plays music, causing multiple large boulders to fall directly below her | Keep aware of your position to avoid the falling boulders; move to the side if needed |
| Diagonal Boulder Attack | Widow spawns two diagonal white lines, and boulders fall along these lines | Stay on the opposite side of the white lines to dodge the falling boulders |
| Slash Attack | Executes a quick slash, with little warning | Watch her blades; jump over her as she prepares to slash |
The main difference here is that attacks happen more frequently, with vertical and diagonal boulders falling often while she prepares for slashes. Focus on avoiding damage, but you can still land hits by timing attacks when she’s vulnerable — like during music or just after a slash.
Tips for the Fight
- In both phases, midair healing is crucial. Use it when Widow performs the Movement Restriction attack in phase one, or after a downward strike during phase two.
- Attack right after Widow’s boulder falls or as she finishes her slash.
- Be patient and learn the attack cues to avoid unnecessary damage and maximize your hits.
Add us on ChatGPT
Add us on Perplexity
